Intersections of two Grassmannians in $\mathbf{P}^9$

Abstract

We study the intersection of two copies of $\mathrm{Gr}(2,5)$ embedded in $\mathbf{P}^9$, and the intersection of the two projectively dual Grassmannians in the dual projective space. These intersections are deformation equivalent, derived equivalent Calabi-Yau threefolds. We prove that generically they are not birational. As a consequence, we obtain a counterexample to the birational Torelli problem for Calabi-Yau threefolds. We also show that these threefolds give a new pair of varieties whose classes in the Grothendieck ring of varieties are not equal, but whose difference is annihilated by a power of the class of the affine line. Our proof of non-birationality involves a detailed study of the moduli stack of Calabi-Yau threefolds of the above type, which may be of independent interest.